Market intelligence for international student recruitment from ICEF
10th Jul 2023

New white paper offers unique insights on recruiting in Africa

This special feature is sponsored by Illume Student Advisory Services.

Over the past two to three decades, the massive youth populations of China, India, and other Asian nations have been the main forces driving an astronomic rise in international student mobility as students in these regions have left their countries to study for a better future.

While Asia will remain a leading source of students for many years, the number of institutions – and countries – competing for students in that region is already increasing dramatically. As competition for Asian students intensifies, another region is quickly becoming a hotspot for the next wave of student mobility: Africa.

Africa is home to more than 50 countries, 1.4 billion people, hundreds of languages,
and an incredibly varied history. It is also home to a massive, and rapidly expanding, college-aged population.

“Africa is the new China, population-wise,” says Adina Lav, assistant provost for international enrolment at George Washington University. The UN projects that, as of 2030, one of every four people aged 15–24 will live in Africa.

And so we are especially pleased to showcase a new white paper from Illume Student Advisory Services, a specialist recruitment services firm with field offices and deep expertise throughout key African markets.

That expertise in on display in the following video excerpt from the white paper, which we hope will serve as an excellent source of insights and tips for your own recruitment planning in this key region.

And we invite you to download the full white paper today. We think you will find it to be an invaluable resource for further planning and research, and it is available for free via this link.

Most Recent

  • China in 2026: Slowing outbound student mobility, accelerating inbound momentum Read More
  • Surprise hike in international student visa application fees “a direct hit to Australia’s competitiveness” Read More
  • ICEF Podcast: “Good, steady, and disciplined”: New Zealand’s plan for sustainable international enrolment growth Read More

Most Popular

  • Which countries will contribute the most to global student mobility in 2030? Read More
  • Research shows link between study abroad and poverty alleviation  Read More
  • Beyond the Big Four: How demand for study abroad is shifting to destinations in Asia and Europe Read More

Because you found this article interesting

China in 2026: Slowing outbound student mobility, accelerating inbound momentum The number of international students studying in China is quickly catching up with the number of Chinese students...
Read more
Surprise hike in international student visa application fees “a direct hit to Australia’s competitiveness” Australia’s international education sector is reeling at new study, work, and working-holiday visa application fees for international students...
Read more
ICEF Podcast: “Good, steady, and disciplined”: New Zealand’s plan for sustainable international enrolment growth Listen in as ICEF’s Craig Riggs and Martijn van de Veen recap some of the latest developments in...
Read more
OECD: International students may be underinformed about job prospects in top destinations For many students from emerging markets in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, there is a dream pathway attached...
Read more
UK: Visa application withdrawals surpass refusals in Q1 2026 UK higher education is bracing up to some challenging trends through the first half of the year. Visa...
Read more
Ascending in world university rankings and highly affordable, Azerbaijan is strengthening its offer to international students Azerbaijan – located on the western shore of the Caspian Sea, bordering Russia to the north, Georgia to...
Read more
Netherlands reports first-ever decrease in foreign enrolment for 2025/26 Peak body Nuffic reports that Dutch higher education institutions enrolled 129,764 international students in 2025/26. That total is...
Read more
What is happening to student mobility flows between the Global South and Global North?  In 2026, students in many of the fastest growing markets for schools and universities in the Big Four...
Read more
What are you looking for?
Quick Links